THOUSANDS OF AFGHAN CELEBRATE ONE BIRTHDAY

KABUL: Jan 1 is Samad Alawi's birthday. It's also the birthday of wife, his two sons, 32 of his friends and thousands of other Afghans-

A date chosen for convenience by a generation who do not know when they were born.

In the absence of birth certificates or official records, many Afghans have long used the season of historical events to help determine their age.

But the explosion of social media networks such as Facebook, which requires users to register their birthday, and the growing demand for passports and visas have forced Afghans to pick a day -any day.

Jan 1 has become a common choice, although the date is more about practicality than parties. ''It seemed all Afghans had birthdays on Jan 1,'' Samad Alawi, who is 43 said.

Even those who know their real birth date often choose Jan 1 because they do not want the hassle of converting their birthday from their Solar Hijri, an Islamic calendar used only in Afghanistan and Iran.

''There is no blank space for a date of birth in an Afghan Tazkira. How can you remember your date of birth if you don't have one on the record?''

Authorities are now trying to change that.